States frequently reject use of medical marijuana for opioid treatment

States frequently reject use of medical marijuana for opioid treatment

Governments and regulators across the country are turning down proposals

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Updated: 4:54 PM EDT Jun 19, 2017

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WEBVTT MEGAN: ANITA BRISCOE STILL CAN'TBELIEVE IT.>> I WAS APPALLED.MEGAN: LAST YEAR, SHE PETITIONEDTHE STATE'S MEDICAL CANNABISBOARD TO INCLUDE OPIATEADDICTION TO THE LIST OFCONDITIONS THAT ALLOW A PERSONTO BUY MEDICAL MARIJUANA HERE INNEW MEXICO.THE BOARD VOTED TO RECOMMENDADDING THAT AS WELL ASALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, BUT THEDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S SECRETARYSAID NO A FEW DAYS AGO.>> THE SECRETARY JUST SAID THEREWAS NOT ENOUGH SCIENTIFICEVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT CANNABISCAN HELP SOMEONE SUFFERING FROMAN OPIOID ADDICTION ORALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.BUT BRISCOE INSISTS THERE'SPLENTY OF RESEARCH.IN HER PROPOSAL, SHE INCLUDEDSEVERAL ARTICLES FROM NATIONALLYACCLAIMED MEDICAL JOURNALS THATFOUND MARIJUANA HELPED EASEADDICTS' WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS, OREVEN HELPED KICK THEIR ADDICTIONTO HEROIN OR PRESCRIPTIONPAINKILLERS.>> PAIN IS A LOT OF THE REASONTHAT PEOPLE GET ADDICTED TOOPIOIDS.MEGAN: BRISCOE, A PSYCHIATRICNURSE FROM ESPANOLA -->> I HAVE SEEN OPIOIDS RAVAGE MY

States frequently reject use of medical marijuana for opioid treatment

Governments and regulators across the country are turning down proposals

While legislators and health regulators across the country have considered using medical marijuana to address opioid addiction, states have frequently turned down the idea.

From New Hampshire to New Mexico, several states that allow medical marijuana for issues like cancer and glaucoma have considered adding opioid addiction to a list of approved uses. But several states recently rejected the measure.

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On May 30, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoed a bill to allow businesses like massage therapists to use topical products that contained marijuana and hemp, and it would have added opioid addiction to the list of approved conditions.

The bill's lead sponsor, state Sen. Tick Segerblom, said he personally thinks doctors can prescribe medical marijuana for opioid addiction due to pain issues, but he added that the bill could have clarified the issue and made a statement. He said the veto was tragic because of the legislation’s "huge potential to address the opioid crisis."

Sandoval cited concerns with federal law and recreational marijuana, among other issues. He also said in a veto statement that the bill raised questions between medical and recreational marijuana and "limits the discretion of professional licensing boards."

Last July, Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services rejected a request to add opioid addiction to the list of approved conditions for medical marijuana, saying there was not sufficient evidence to support adding it.

A recent study showed that hospitalization rates for opioid painkiller dependence and abuse dropped 23 percent on average in states after marijuana was adopted for medicinal purposes, and hospitalization rates for opioid overdoses dropped 13 percent on average, Reuters reported in March.

This month, New Mexico’s secretary of health rejected a petition to the state’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Board to include opiate addiction to the list of approved conditions for medical marijuana.

Psychiatric nurse Anita Briscoe, who petitioned for the change, included research from medical journals in her proposal.

"Pain is a lot of the reason people get on opioids, and they get addicted," she said.

But Health Secretary Lynn Gallagher said there just wasn't enough evidence proving cannabis helps people suffering from opiate dependence or Alzheimer's disease.